Two Different Worlds…

Thursday, July, 31, 2008 by Mel Phillips.

David Rehr and Mel Karmazin are as different as Barack Obama and John McCain.  While David was trumpeting a new NAB Website, Mel was pounding his chest over his latest conquest - the Sirius XM merger.  One represents an association 8,300 strong, the other is ‘King of the Satellite world’, 19 million strong.  One lobs a softball, the other - a grenade…

Rehr was proud to announce that “NAB’s most recent nationwide census shows that in a single year local radio and television stations nationwide generated an estimated $10.3 billion in public service through a combination of airtime donated for public service announcements and money raised for charity and disaster relief.”  And there was more good news from the NAB.  “Local radio and television stations are collectively the number one provider of public service in America.  These stations are also the first place Americans turn for up-to-the-minute information in times of crisis.”   The picture got progressively rosier  as the press release continued but I think you get the point.  That was David K. Rehr’s day…

Mel Karmazin spent the day visiting (on-air) “Opie & Anthony“, teasing the duo about whether or not their expiring contract will be picked up (bet on it!) and toasting the NAB for their fierce opposition to the merger which he believes was a benefit to him.  He had pictures of the NAB’s “Stop The Monopoly” banner taken and in general just loved David Rehr’s fight to stop the merger.  “If we are a duopoly on our way to a monopoly by definition, they are not in that pie.  Thank goodness for it and hats off to the head of the NAB.  We all owe him.  When we all get to toast this merger, I will be celebrating him (Rehr) first.” …

Ouch!!!

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1928] I am Leo hear me roar: MGM’s Leo the Lion roars for the first time when he’s introduced to the big screen for “White Shadows on the South Seas“…
2. 1948] Idlewild about Harry: President Harry S. Truman helps dedicate Idlewild International Airport  (later changed to JFK) with New York Governor (and soon to be opponent in the presidential election) Thomas E. Dewey and Mayor William O’Dwyer in attendance with live radio and TV coverage…
3. 1964] Say “cheese“: American space probe Ranger 7 transmits pictures of the moon’s surface back to earth…
4. 1964] “Happy Trails“: Country singer Jim Reeves dies when the single-engine Beechcraft he was piloting goes down during a violent thunderstorm near his home in Nashville. His business partner and manager Dean Manuel is also killed. “Gentleman Jim” was just 40…
5. 1972] McGovern  picks Eagleton as running mate: Of course the rest of the story involves Sargent Shriver  replacing Eagleton because of his fragile mental health…
6. 1976] Real Golden Gloves: The U.S. picks up 5 gold medals in boxing at the Montreal Olympics. Sugar Ray Leonard, Michael Spinks, Leon Spinks, Howard Davis and Leo Randolph are the winners of the gold awards. Sugar Ray and Leon Spinks will become pro-boxing champions…
7. 1981] Back to work: The 7-week baseball players strike  comes to an end when the players and owners agree on the issue of free agent compensation…
8. 1990] Joining the 300 club: Nolan Ryan becomes the 20th major league pitcher to win 300 games as his Texas Rangers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 11-3…
9. 1995] ABC sprouts mouse ears: The Walt Disney Company agrees to buy Capital Cities-ABC Inc. for $15 billion…
10. 1997] Busted: New York City police seize 5 bombs believed bound for terrorists attacks on subways…

Music Memories:

• 1968] Recording finished on this date: “Hey Jude” is completed by the Beatles at Trident Studios in London…
• 1979] Live in Central Park: James Taylor plays a free concert to help the city’s campaign to restore the parks’ Sheep Meadow.  Here’s James at an outdoor venue somewhere doing “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight“…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:

Dean Cain (42), J.K. Rowling (43), Wesley Snipes (46), Evonne Goolagong Cawley (57), Gary Lewis (63), William Weld (63), Sherry Lansing (64), Geraldine Chaplin (64), Lobo a.k.a. Roland Kent Lavoie (65) and Robert Morgenthau (89)…

Timeline Countdown: 2 days until the Pro Football HOF induction and 8 days until the Summer Olympics…

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